Screen device

ABSTRACT

A screen device including a screen guide that has a simple structure, stably operates, and, in a guided-out state, can be formed in a straight rail-like shape. A screen guide of the screen device includes a large number of guide pieces, each formed in an approximately U-shape by a bottom and standing walls respectively extending along the end of a screen and the external side surfaces of the screen, and having a structure in which passage holes are formed along the tops of the standing walls, two strings of wire members are exerted through the respective passage holes, and, when the screen guide is guided out along the end of the screen, the serial contact surfaces of the adjacent guide pieces abut against each other.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a screen device including a screenguide configured to guide the end of a screen, extending along itsopen-close direction, and more particularly, with respect to a screen,e.g., a fitting such as a screen door, a partition, or a curtain, itrelates to a screen device including a screen guide configured to, inresponse to an open-close operation of the screen, crookedly move in andout the inside of at least one of frame members fixed to both ends ofthe screen in its open-close direction, and be guided out along the endof the screen lying in a tension state so as to guide the end.

BACKGROUND ART

A screen device including a screen guide configured to guide the end ofa screen has a structure in which, in response to an open-closeoperation of the screen, the screen guide crookedly moves in and out theinside of at least one of frame members fixed to both ends of the screenin its open-close direction and is guided out along the end of thescreen lying in a tension state so as to guides the end of the screen.For example, a screen device including a slide-guide frame-sectiondisclosed in Patent document 1 is known. In the known screen device, byconnecting rigid units one another, each including sidewalls facing eachother, having a bridge section interposed therebetween, the slide-guideframe-section is formed.

Unfortunately, the screen device set forth in the foregoing Patentdocument 1 has disadvantages that, since the rigid unit constituting theslide-guide frame-section serving as a screen guide has a complicatedstructure, resulting in increase in not only its manufacturing cost butalso time and effort for connecting the rigid units one another. Also,the complicated structure causes increase in time and effort formaintaining the slide-guide frame section. In addition, since the rigidunits are rotatably connected one another, these units generate noisesupon coming into contact with a floor surface and a frame member, hence,the screen device has no hope of achieving a quiet and stable open-closeoperation of the screen.

In order to solve the foregoing problems, Patent document 2 discloses ascreen device including a screen guide (a net guide) configured to movein and out the insides of frame members fixed to both ends of a screenfrom the respective lower ends, in response to an open-close operationof the screen (net), and be guided out along the lower end of the screenlying in a tension state so as to guide the lower end.

The screen device disclosed in the foregoing Patent document 2 has veryeffective advantages that, since a reaction force due to curving of atape-shaped member of the net guide, occurring at a serial contactportion of guide pieces, serves as an acting force for a buffer againstan operating force of a movable edge member, by providing a bufferproperty with an appropriate resistance, noises can be prohibitedwithout deteriorating the open-close operability of the movable edgemember, and, besides, the net guide can be offered with a simplestructure and at low price.

Whereas, when an external force such as an unexpected strong wind isexerted on the net, a portion of the net guide, linearly guided out fromthe frame member, is pressed against the lower end of the net, and thenet guide can be curved in the horizontal lateral direction.

Also, while the tape-shaped member serially connecting the respectiveguide pieces is configured to prohibit the net guide from curving in thereverse direction (raising from the floor surface), when the net isstretched over a relatively wide range, that is, when the net isretracted by the movable edge member with a strong force in a state inwhich the net guide is guided out relatively long, a large force isacted on the net guide in a direction to be guided into the framemember, whereby the net guide can curve in the lateral direction, or,contrary to the normal case, partially raised while curving upwards in aprojecting manner. Hence, taking measures for preventing the net guidefrom curving in the reverse direction is desired.

Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application PublicationNo. 1: 2000-145314

Patent document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application PublicationNo. 2: 2003-161089

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

A technical subject of the present invention is to provide a screendevice including a screen guide that has a simple structure, stablyoperates, and, in a guided-out state, is formed in a straight rail-likeshape.

Also, another technical subject of the present invention is to provide ascreen device including a screen guide which, in a simple form, can beprevented from curving in the horizontal lateral direction and bendingin a reverse direction (raising from an installation surface) and alwaysstably guide the end of the screen.

In order to solve the foregoing subjects, a screen device according tothe present invention includes a screen guide allowing a stretchablescreen to open and close and configured to, in response to an open-closeoperation of the screen, crookedly move in and out the inside of atleast one of frame members fixed to both ends of the screen in itsopen-close direction and be guided out along the end of the screen lyingin a tension state so as to guide the end, wherein the screen guideincludes a large number of guide pieces composed of a synthetic resin,each formed in an approximately U-shape by its bottom and standing wallsrespectively extending along the end of the screen and the external sidesurfaces of the screen and having a structure in which passage holes areformed along the tops of the standing walls, two strings of wire membersare exerted through the respective passage holes of the guide pieces,and the tops of the standing walls on the serial contact surfaces of theguide pieces are thus rotatably serially contacted with one another,and, when the screen guide is guided out along the end of the screen, apart of or all the serial contact surfaces of the adjacent guide piecesabut against each other.

In the screen device according to the present invention, groovesallowing the wire members to be fitted therein and out are providedalong the passage holes of the standing walls, thereby achieving easyattachment and detachment of each guide piece for its assembly,replacement, and the like, and also, intermediate rotors are interposedbetween the passage holes of the adjacent guide pieces, allowing thewire members to pass therethrough, thereby achieving smooth crookingbetween the guide pieces.

In addition, a part of or all the guide pieces may include engagementsslidably engaging with a guide rail provided on the sliding surfacesthereof.

In the screen device according to the present invention, the screen ispreferably formed in an accordion-like shape so as to be extendablewhile being alternately folded back and forth or a flexible sheet-likemember wound around a roller. In these cases, when the screen iscomposed of a fly net, the screen device serves as a screen door.

Also, if the screen is formed in an accordion-like shape while beingalternately folded back and forth, the screen guides may be configuredto move in and out the insides of the frame members fixed at both endsof the screen in its open-close direction.

Further, in the screen device according to the present invention, thescreen is preferably openable by horizontal drawing. On that occasion,the screen is provided so as to be openable by horizontal drawing, andthe screen guides are provided along both upper and lower side ends ofthe screen if needed.

Also, if the screen is openable by horizontal drawing, one end of atension string for achieving a parallel translation of a movable frameused for an open-close operation of the screen is connected to thescreen guide so as to configure the parallel translation mechanism ofthe frame member with the screen guide and the tension string.

With the screen device according to the present invention, the screenguide has a simple structure in which the passage holes are formed alongthe tops of the standing walls of the guide piece constituting thescreen guide and the two strings of the wire members are insertedthrough the passage holes, thereby not only offering a screen guide atlow price but also achieving its easy assembly as well as improving itsmaintainability. In addition, the screen guide has a crooking portionprovided at the upper parts of the standing walls of the guide piece (onthe inner side of a crooked shape), thereby preventing parts of adjacentguide pieces from overlapping with each other. Also, the passage holesare formed in two strings of groove-like shapes when the screen guideextends in a straight pattern, thereby achieving a stable guide for anopen-close operation of the screen.

Besides, when guided along the end of the screen, the screen guide isconfigured such that all or parts of serial contact surfaces of theadjacent guide pieces abut against each other, thereby preventing thescreen guide from curving in the horizontal lateral direction of thescreen and crooking in the reverse direction (raising from aninstallation surface). In addition, since the guide piece can be formedin a square or rectangular shape in side view, in a state of beingguided-out, the screen guide can be formed in a straight rail shapehaving no undulations on its upper edge, resulting in not only a neatexternal appearance but also no problem of being caught with otherobjects (a screen and the like), thereby achieving a more stableopen-close operation of the screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the overall structure of anaccordion-shaped horizontal-drawing screen door according to a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is broken perspective view of an essential part of the structureof the horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a guide piece of a net guideconstituting the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the net guide in which the guide piecesshown in FIG. 4 are serially contacted with one another.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bending state of the net guide inwhich the guide pieces shown in FIG. 4 are serially contacted with oneanother.

FIGS. 7(A) and (B) are respectively an elevational view and a side viewof an example structure of another guide piece of the net guide.

FIGS. 8(A) and (B) are respectively an elevational view and a side viewof an example structure of another guide piece of the net guide.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view an example structure of another guidepiece of the net guide.

FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of a bending state of the net guide inwhich the guide pieces shown in FIG. 9 are serially contacted with oneanother.

FIGS. 11(A) to (C) are elevational views of modifications of theinstallation surface of the guide piece shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of the overall structure of ahorizontal-drawing screen door according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 13 is a sectional plan view of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the overall structure of ahorizontal-drawing screen door according to a third embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 is an elevational view of the overall structure of ahorizontal-drawing screen door according to a fourth embodiment of thesame.

FIG. 16 is an elevational view of the overall structure of ahorizontal-drawing screen door according to a fifth embodiment of thesame.

FIG. 17 is an elevational view of the overall structure of a sixthembodiment of the same.

FIG. 18 is an elevational view of the overall structure of ahorizontal-drawing screen door according to a seventh embodiment of thesame.

FIG. 19 is an elevational view of the overall structure of an eighthembodiment of the same.

FIG. 20 is an elevational view of the overall structure of a roll-typehorizontal-drawing screen door according to a ninth embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 21 is a sectional plan view of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is an elevational view of the overall structure of a roll-typehorizontal-drawing screen door according to a tenth embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 23 is a sectional plan view of FIG. 22.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

2 screen-door frame

4, 31 fly net (screen)

5, 5M, 5N movable edge member (frame component)

6, 6M, 6N vertical frame member (frame component)

8 vertical frame member

10 horizontal frame member

12, 12A, 12B, 12N net guide (screen guide)

14, 14N, 141, 142, 143 guide piece

14 a, 141 a, 142 a, 143 a bottom

14 b, 141 b, 142 b, 143 b standing walls

14 c, 141 c, 142 c, 143 c passage holes

14 d serial contact surfaces

14 f abutments

15 guide rail

16 wire members

19 a to 19 c, 191 a to 191 c, 192 a to 192 d, 193 a to 193 d, 194 a to194 c, 195 a to 195 b, 196 a to 196 b, 197 a to 197 c tension string

21 intermediate rotors

141 f, 142 f grooves

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a screen device according to a first embodimentof the present invention, configured to serve as an accordion-shapehorizontal-drawing screen door to be installed at an opening of abuilding.

The horizontal-drawing screen door general includes a screen-door frame2, a fly net 4 serving as a screen, openably fixed within thescreen-door frame 2 by horizontal drawing, and a movable edge member 5fixed to one end of the net 4, used for an open-close operation. Thescreen-door frame 2 includes right and left vertical frame members 6 and8 and an upper horizontal frame member 10, and has a net guide (screenguide) 12 disposed at the lower part thereof and configured to guide thelower end of the net 4, so as to come in and out the vertical framemember 6 in accordance with movement of the movable edge member 5.

In the meantime, in FIGS. 1 and 3, for the sake of clarification of thedrawings, the internal structures of the movable edge member 5 and thevertical frame members 6 and 8 are also indicated with a solid line. Thesame way of drawing is applied to other drawings except for a part ofthe drawings.

The foregoing net guide 12 is fixed to the lower end of the movable edgemember 5 at one end thereof, crookedly moves in and out the inside ofthe vertical frame member 6 in response to extension and contraction ofthe net 4 in accordance with movement of the movable edge member 5. Uponextending the net 4, the net guide 12 is guided out along the lower endof the net 4 lying in a tension state and, by holding the ends of them,prevents the lower end of the net 4 from swaying due to an externalforce such as a wind.

More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the net guide 12 isconfigured such that a large number guide pieces 14 composed of asynthetic resin are connected to one another by two strings of flexiblewire members 16.

As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the guide piece 14 constituting the netguide 12 is formed in an U-shape by a bottom 14 a extending along thelower end of the net 4 and a pair of standing wall 14 b rising alongboth external side surfaces of the net 4 and has passage holes 14 cdisposed along the tops (the ends on the opening side) of the standingwalls 14 b thereof, allowing two strings of the wire members 16 toextend therethrough. The guide pieces 14 are rotatably seriallycontacted with one another by arranging the wire members 16 to extendthrough the passage holes 14 c thereof, and, by providing stop members18 (see FIG. 1) at the ends of the respective wire members 16 and theexternal side ends of the guide pieces 14 located at both ends of thenet guide 12, each guide piece 14 is prevented from exiting from thewire members 16.

Since these guide pieces 14 are serially contacted with one another byarranging serial contact surfaces 14 d thereof, each serving as an endface of the standing wall 14 b, to abut against one another, the lengthof the wire member 16 can be substantially the same as the actual lengthof the large number of serially connected guide pieces 14, however, thewire member 16 is preferably formed so as to have a length having anallowance needed for crooking and an smooth operation of net guide 12,that is, slightly greater than the actual length of the large number ofserially connected guide pieces 14.

The standing walls 14 b of each guide piece 14 can be provided with finecuts 14 e at which, when the net guide 12 crooks, the tops of thestanding walls 14 b of the mutually adjacent guide pieces 14 abutagainst each other. With this, the net guide 12 can be crooked withoutarranging the wire members 16 to have an allowance so as to make a gapbetween the adjacent guide pieces 14.

While the wire member 16 constituting the net guide 12 is can becomposed of a material so as to achieve very easy crook, it can be alsoformed so as to achieve a reaction force of the order of an actingforce, serving as a buffer against an operating force of the movableedge member 5. From such a viewpoint, an appropriate degree ofelasticity or flexibility is needed to provide to the wire member 16 ofthe net guide 12, for example, by selecting its material or adjustingits size.

As the wire member 16, a part of a tension string configuring a paralleltranslation mechanism of a movable edge member, which will be describedlater, provided for an open-close operation of the net 4 can be used.

As described above, the net guide 12 is configured to, in accordancewith an open-close operation of the net 4, crookedly move in and out theinside of the vertical frame member 6 constituting the screen-door frame2 from its lower end, and to guide the lower end of the net 4 throughits guiding out operation. By arranging the end of the side of the netguide inserted in the vertical frame member 6 to remain in the verticalframe member 6 even in a full tension state of the net 4, the net guide12 can be smoothly guided in and out the inside of the vertical framemember 6 without especially providing a guide for crooking the net guide12, however, if needed, a guide surface 17 allowing the net guide tocrook can be provided at its crooking place.

The net 4 serving as the screen is configured to be extendable in anaccordion pattern by providing it a large number of pleats in a zigzagpattern by folding it alternately back and forth, have the verticalframe member 6 and the movable edge member 5, used for an open-closeoperation of the net 4, of the screen-door frame 2 fixed to both endsthereof, and open-close in response to an operation of the movable edgemember 5. While the net 4 is illustrated as an example of a screen, oneskilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is notlimited to such a net.

With this structure, upon opening and closing the net 4 by operating themovable edge member 5 fixed to the one end of the net 4, used for anopen-close operation, the net guide 12 crooks at the tops of thestanding walls 14 b of the guide pieces 14, whereby the standing walls14 b of the adjacent guide pieces 14 have no overlapped portion uponcrooking of the net guide 12, in other words, the guide piece 14 doesnot need to have a recess, as needed in a known net, for accommodatingthe standing wall 14 b of the adjacent guide piece 14 provided to thestanding wall 14 b thereof, thereby achieving a smooth crookingoperation of the net guide 12, e.g., a smooth open-close operation ofthe net 4.

In order to stably translate the movable edge member 5 fixed to the oneend of the net 4, the movable edge member 5 has the parallel translationmechanism provided thereto. The parallel translation mechanism here isconfigured by stretching three tension strings 19 a to 19 c between thescreen-door frame 2 and the movable edge member 5 and between the netguide 12 and the movable edge member 5.

The first tension string 19 a has its one end fixed to the upper part ofthe movable edge member 5, horizontally extends through the net 4 fromthe vicinity of the upper end of the movable edge member 5 up to theinside of the vertical frame member 6, is guided in the vertical framemember 6, turned downwards in the vertical frame member 6 by a turningpiece 20 a, then, is wound up on a turning piece 20 b disposed at thelower part of the vertical frame member 6 so as to be guided upwards inthe vertical frame member 6, and connected to the guide piece 14 locatedat the front of the side of the net guide 12, configured to be guided inand out the inside of the vertical frame member 6.

At the same time, the second and third tension strings 19 b and 19 chave one ends respectively fixed to the central and lower parts of themovable edge member 5, horizontally extend through the net 4 up to theinside of the vertical frame member 6, are guided in the vertical framemember 6, respectively turned by turning pieces 20 c and 20 d so as tobe guided in the vertical frame member 6 and up to the inside of theupper horizontal frame member 10, turned by a turning piece 20 e so asto be guided in the horizontal frame member 10 to the upper end of thevertical frame member 8, wound up on a turning piece 20 f located at theupper end of the vertical frame member 8 so as to be turned back in thehorizontal frame member 10, and then, connected to the movable edgemember 5.

Since, when the tension strings 19 a to 19 c as described above arestretched, the attitude of the movable edge member 5 is constraint withthese strings, and, even when a force for an open-close operation isexerted on an arbitrary position of the movable edge member 5, themovable frame is driven to open and close while always keeping itsattitude. Also, in a section of the tension section of the net 4,allowing the foregoing tension strings 19 a to 19 c to horizontallyextend therethrough, the tension strings 19 a to 19 c prevent warp ofthe net 4, thereby achieving a stable tension state of the net 4.

As each of the turning pieces 20 a to 20 f, a sliding member composed ofa synthetic resin, having a small frictional resistance against thetension strings 19 a to 19 c or a pulley is available. This applies toeach of other embodiments, which will be described later.

In place of the foregoing net guide (screen guide) 2, other net guideshaving guide pieces as shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 connected one another arealso available.

A guide piece 141 shown in FIG. 7 has grooves 141 f formed outside thetops of standing walls 141 b standing at both sides of a bottom 141 a ofthe guide piece 141 and along passage holes 141 c located within thetops of the standing walls so as to allow the wire members 16 to befitted therein and out. At the same time, a guide piece 142 shown inFIG. 8 has grooves 142 f formed within the topes of standing walls 142 bstanding at both sides of a bottom 142 a of the guide piece 142 andalong passage holes 142 c located within the tops so as to allow thewire members 16 to be fitted therein and out. Each of the grooves 141 fand 142 f has a width to an extent to which the wire member 16 can befitted therein and out by exerting a certain force on the wire member16. While these guide pieces 141 and 142 constitute the net guides byinserting two strings of the wire members 16 into these passage holes141 c and 142 c in the same fashion as the guide piece 14 illustrated inFIGS. 4 to 6, with the grooves 141 f and 142 f, the wire member can beeasily attached and detached for assembly and replacement of the guidepieces.

Also, a guide piece 143 shown in FIG. 9 is configured to constituteanother net guide as shown in FIG. 10. In order to have intermediatedrotors 21, composed of approximately spherical beads, interposed betweenpassage holes 143 c for allowing two strings of the wire members 16 toextend therethrough, disposed at the tops of standing walls 143 blocated at both sides of each of bottoms 143 a of the adjacent guidepieces 143, the guide piece 143 has depressions 143 g disposed at theentrances of the passage holes 143 c, for holding the intermediaterotors 21, and a large number of the guide pieces 143 are thus seriallycontacted with one another in a pattern shown in FIG. 10. The net guideconfigured by these guide pieces 143 achieves smooth crooking betweenthe guide pieces 143.

The guide piece of each of the foregoing net guides can be formed so asto have any one of installation structures as shown in FIGS. 11(A) to(C), depending on a relationship with a floor surface or the like of anopening of a building.

The guide piece 14 shown in FIG. 11(A) is configured to slide on a flatinstallation surface by arranging the under surface of its bottom 14 ato be flat. The guide piece 14 shown in FIG. 11(B) is that shown inFIGS. 4 to 6 and, in order to move astride on a low guide rail 15installed on the installation surface and having a height of about 2 to3 mm (see FIGS. 1 and 3), has a pair of short legs 14 j projectingdownward from both standing walls 14 b so as to be guided along theguide rail 15 with the short legs 14 j. In addition, the guide piece 14shown in FIG. 14(C) has mutually facing hook-shaped engagements 14 fdisposed at the bottom surface of the bottom 14 a, and, by fitting theengagements 14 f in depressed grooves 15 a on both sides of the guiderail 15, the net guide is more stably guided and hence prevented frombeing raised. The engagements 14 f can be formed in all or a part of theguide pieces.

Also, while all serial contact surfaces of each of the guide pieces 14,141, 142, and 143 with those of the adjacent guide pieces have a flatshape so as to fully abut against each other, the serial contactsurfaces are not needed to fully abut against each other and can bearranged so as to partially abut against each other as long as themutually adjacent guide pieces 14, 141, 142, or 143 have constantabutment attitudes.

The foregoing net guide is usable not only in the horizontal-drawingscreen door as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 but also in a typical screendevice, other than in a variety of screen doors, which will be describedlater.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a horizontal-drawing screen door according toa second embodiment, having a structure in which one end of the netguide 12 is fixed to the lower end of the vertical frame member 6 havingthe one end of the net 4 fixed thereto, and the net guide 12 moves inand out the inside of the movable edge member 5 from its lower end inaccordance with movement of the movable edge member 5. The net guide 12itself can employ any one of the foregoing structures.

In the horizontal-drawing screen door according to the secondembodiment, a parallel translation mechanism similar to the paralleltranslation mechanism of the first embodiment, employing three tensionstrings 191 a to 191 c is provided.

The first tension string 191 a has its one end fixed to the upper partof the vertical frame member 6 having the net 4 fixed thereto, extendsthrough the net 4 so as to be guided to the inside of the movable edgemember 5, then, is guided downwards in the movable edge member 5 by aturning piece 201 a, wound up on a turning piece 201 b provided at thelower part of the movable edge member 5 so as to be guided upwards againin the movable edge member 5, and connected to the guide piece 14located at the front of the net guide 12 configured to be guided in andout the movable edge member 5.

At the same time, the second and third tension strings 191 b and 191 chave one ends respectively fixed to the central and lower parts of thevertical frame member 6, extend through the net 4 so as to be guided inthe movable edge member 5, then, are turned respectively by turningpieces 201 c and 201 d so as to be guided upwards in the movable edgemember 5, guided to the inside of the upper horizontal frame member 10,extend through the horizontal frame member 10 by a turning piece 201 e,are guided to the upper end of the vertical frame member 8, wound up ona turning piece 201 f provided at the upper part of the vertical framemember 8, guided in the horizontal frame member 10 in the reversedirection, and subsequently, guided to the upper end in the verticalframe member 6 so as to be connected thereat.

When the tension strings 191 a to 191 c as described above arestretched, the attitude of the movable edge member 5 is constrained bythem, hence, even when a force for an open-close operation is exerted onany position of the movable edge member 5, it is driven for anopen-close operation while always keeping its attitude.

A horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 14, according to a thirdembodiment has a structure in which the net guide 12 moves in and outthe insides of the vertical frame member 6 and the movable edge member 5fixed to both ends of the net 4 from the respective lower ends and hastension strings, which will be described later, connected to both endsthereof without being fixed to any of the vertical frame member 6 andthe movable edge member 5. Such an embodiment allows the net guide 12 tohave a longer total length, thereby achieving a longer open-close lengthof the net 4.

Also, in this horizontal-drawing screen door, stretching four tensionstrings 192 a to 192 d, for example, between the screen-door frame 2 andthe movable edge member 5 configures a parallel translation mechanism ofthe movable edge member.

The first tension string 192 a has its one end fixed to the guide piece14 located at the front of the side of the net guide 12, configured tomove in and out the inside of the vertical frame member 6, is guidedupwards in the vertical frame member 6, then, turned by a turning piece202 a, extends through the net 4 and the movable edge member 5 withinthe horizontal frame member 10 of the screen-door frame 2 so as to beguided to the upper end of the vertical frame member 8, is wound up on aturning piece 202 b disposed at the upper end of the vertical framemember 8 so as to be guided in the horizontal frame member 10 in thereverse direction, guided in the movable edge member 5, turned by aturning piece 202 c at the upper end so as to be guided downwards, andconnected to the end of the side of the net guide 12, configured to movein and out the inside of the movable edge member 5.

At the same time, the second to fourth tension strings 192 b to 192 dhave respective one ends fixed to the end of the side of the net guide12, configured to move in and out the inside of the vertical framemember 6, are guided downwards in the vertical frame member 6, wound upon a turning piece 202 d located at the lower end of the vertical framemember so as to be guided upwards in the vertical frame member 6, then,respectively turned by turning pieces 202 e, 202 f, and 202 g located atthe upper, central and lower parts of the net 4 so as to extend throughthe net 4 through the corresponding parts, guided downwards in themovable edge member 5, further downwards respectively by turning pieces202 h, 202 i,and 202 j, subsequently, guided upwards in the movable edgemember 5 by a turning piece 202 k, and connected to the end of the sideof the net guide 12, configured to move in and out the inside of themovable edge member 5.

In addition to the structure in the third embodiment, ahorizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 15, according to a fourthembodiment includes two net guides 12A and 12B configured to guide theupper and lower ends of the net 4. While these net guides are notdifferent from that in the third embodiment, a parallel translationmechanism is slightly different from that in the third embodiment, aswill be described below.

More particularly, in the horizontal-drawing screen door according tothe fourth embodiment, the parallel translation mechanism of the movableedge member is configured by stretching four, i.e., first to fourthtension strings 193 a to 193 d.

The first and second tension strings 193 a and 193 b are fixed to theend of the side of the net guide 12B, configured to guide the lower endof the net 4 and move in and out the inside of the vertical frame member6, guided downward in the vertical frame member 6, wound up on a turningpiece 203 a located at the lower end of the same so as to be guidedupwards in the vertical frame member 6, then, respectively turned byturning pieces 203 b and 203 c at the upper and central parts of the net4, extend through the corresponding parts of the net 4 so as to beguided to the inside of the movable edge member 5, further guideddownwards in the movable edge member 5 respectively by turning pieces203 d and 203 e, subsequently, upwards in the movable edge member 5 by aturning piece 203 f, and connected to the end of the side of the netguide 12B, configured to move in and out the inside of the movable edgemember 5.

The third and fourth tension strings 193 c and 193 d have respective oneends fixed to the end of the side of the net guide 12A, configured toguide the upper end of the net 4 and move in and out the inside of thevertical frame member 6, are guided upwards in the vertical frame member6, wound up on a turning piece 203 g located at its upper end so as tobe guided downwards in the vertical frame member 6, then, respectivelyturned by turning pieces 203 h and 203 i located at the central lowerand lower parts of the net 4 so as to extend through the correspondingparts, guided to the inside of the movable edge member 5, furtherupwards in the movable edge member 5 respectively by turning pieces 203j and 203 k, subsequently, downwards in the movable edge member 5 by aturning piece 203 m, and connected to the end of the side of the netguide 12A, configured to move in and out the inside of the movable edgemember 5.

Meanwhile, if the net guides moving in and out the insides of thevertical frame member 6 and the movable edge member 5 from therespective ends are provided as in the third and fourth embodiments, thenet guides preferably include stoppers or the like if needed, forpreventing their ends from getting out from the vertical frame member 6and the movable edge member 5.

A horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 16, according to a fifthembodiment has a structure in which the movable edge member 5 has thenet guides 12A and 12B respectively fixed to the upper and lower endsthereof, and the net guides 12A and 12B respectively move in and out theinside of the vertical frame member 6 from its upper and lower ends inaccordance with movement of the movable edge member 5. The net guidesthemselves are not different from the foregoing embodiments.

In the horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 16, by stretchingthree tension strings 194 a to 194 c, for example, between thescreen-door frame 2 and the movable edge member 5, a paralleltranslation mechanism of the movable frame is configured.

The first tension string 194 a has its one end fixed to the upper partof the movable edge member 5, extends through the net 4 and up to theinside of the vertical frame member 6, is turned downwards in thevertical frame member 6 by a turning piece 204 a, then, wound up on aturning piece 204 b disposed at the lower part of the vertical framemember 6 so as to be guided upwards in the vertical frame member 6, andconnected to the guide piece 14 located at the front of the side of thenet guide 12B guiding the lower end of the net 4, configured to beguided in and out the inside of the vertical frame member 6.

At the same time, the second and third tension strings 194 b and 194 chave one ends respectively fixed to the central and lower parts of themovable edge member 5, extend through the net 4 up to the inside of thevertical frame member 6, then, are turned upwards in the vertical framemember 6 respectively by turning pieces 204 c and 204 d, further woundup on a turning piece 204 e disposed at the upper part of the verticalframe member 6 so as to be guided downwards in the vertical frame member6, and connected to the guide piece 14 located at the front of the sideof the net guide 12A guiding the upper end of the net 4, configured tobe guided in and out the inside of the vertical frame member 6.

A horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 17, according to a sixthembodiment has a structure in which the net guides 12A and 12B have oneends respectively fixed to the upper and lower ends of the verticalframe member 6 having one end of the net 4 fixed thereto, the frontsthereof are guided in the movable edge member 5 from its upper and lowerends, and these guides move in and out the inside of the movable edgemember 5 in accordance with movement of the movable edge member 5.

Also, in the horizontal-drawing screen door according to the sixthembodiment, by stretching two tension strings 195 a and 195 b, forexample, between the screen-door frame 2 and the movable edge member 5,a parallel translation mechanism of the movable edge member 5 isconfigured.

The first tension string 195 a has its one end fixed to the guide piece14 located at the front of the side of the net guide 12A, configured tomove in and out the inside of the movable edge member 5 from its upperend, is guided downwards, then, wound up on a turning piece 205 a so asto be guided to the upper end of the movable edge member 5,subsequently, guided to the inside of the vertical frame member 8 by aturning piece 205 b through the upper horizontal frame member 10, woundup there on a turning piece 205 c so as to be guided in the horizontalframe member 10 in the reverse direction, subsequently, guided again tothe inside of the movable edge member 5, turned downwards in the movableedge member 5 by a turning piece 205 d, wound up on a turning piece 205e disposed at the lower end of the movable edge member 5 so as to beguided upwards in the movable edge member 5, and connected to the guidepiece 14 located at the front of the side of the net guide 12B,configured to move in and out the inside of movable edge member 5.

At the same time, the second 195 b has its one end fixed to the centralpart of the movable edge member 5, extends through the net 4 so as to beguided to the inside of the vertical frame member 6, then, is turned bya turning piece 205 f so as to be guided in the vertical frame member 6and up to the inside of the horizontal frame member 10 placed at itsupper part, turned by a turning piece 205 g provided there so as toextend in the horizontal frame member 10, guided to the inside of thevertical frame member 8, turned up there on the turning piece 205 c soas to be guided together with the first tension string 195 a in thehorizontal frame member 10 in the reverse direction, then, guided to theinside of the movable edge member 5, further turned by the turning piece205 d so as to be guided downwards in the movable edge member 5, turnedup on the turning piece 205 e disposed at the lower end of the movableedge member 5 so as to be guided upwards in the movable edge member 5,and is connected to the guide piece 14 located at the front of the netguide 12B configured to move in and out the inside of the movable edgemember 5 from its lower end.

A horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 18, according to aseventh embodiment has a structure in which, the net guide 12A has oneend fixed to the upper end of the vertical frame member 6, fixed to oneside of an opening of a building and having one end of the net 4 fixedthereto, so as to allow the front thereof to be guided in the movableedge member 5 from its upper end, also, the front of the net guide 12Bhas one end fixed to the lower end of the movable edge member 5 so as toallow the front thereof to be guided in the vertical frame member 6 fromits lower end, thus, in accordance with movement of the movable edgemember 5, the net guide 12A moves in and out the inside of the movableedge member 5 from its upper end, and, at the same time, the net guide12B moves in and out the inside of the vertical frame member 6 from itslower end. Meanwhile, no member corresponding to the vertical framemember 8 in the foregoing embodiments is provided.

In the horizontal-drawing screen door according to the seventhembodiment, by stretching two tension strings 196 a and 196 b, forexample, between the screen-door frame 2 and the movable edge member 5,a parallel translation mechanism of the movable edge member isconfigured.

The first tension string 196 a has its one end fixed to the guide piece14 located at the front of the net guide 12A, configured to move in andout the inside of the movable edge member 5 from its upper end, isguided to the upper part of the movable edge member 5, then, wound up ona turning piece 206 a provided at the upper part so as to be guideddownwards in the movable edge member 5, turned by a turning piece 206 blocated at its lower end, extends through the lower part of the net 4 soas to be guided to the inside of the vertical frame member 6, and isfixed to the lower part in the vertical frame member 6.

At the same time, the second tension string 196 b have respective oneends fixed to the guide piece 14 located at the front of the net guide12B, configured to move in and out the inside of the vertical framemember 6 from its lower end, is guided downwards in the vertical framemember 6, wound up on a turning piece 206 c disposed at its lower partso as to be again guided upwards, turned by a turning piece 206 ddisposed at its upper part, extends through the upper part of the net 4so as to be guided to the movable edge member 5, and is fixed to itsupper part.

The ways of winding around the tension strings configuring the paralleltranslation mechanisms of the movable edge members described in thefirst to seventh embodiments by way of example are not limited to theabove-described ways, and, for example, the arrangement of the netguide(s) to be guided in and out any frame member(s) of the screen doorcan be appropriately modified depending on the structure of thehorizontal-drawing screen door.

For example, a horizontal-drawing screen door shown in FIG. 19 by way ofexample, according to an eighth embodiment has a structure in which,although the arrangement of the net guide 12 is the same as that in thehorizontal-drawing screen door according to the first embodiment shownFIG. 1, the way of winding around strings constituting a paralleltranslation mechanism is different from that in the first embodiment.

In the horizontal-drawing screen door according to the eighthembodiment, by stretching three tension strings 197 a to 197 c, theparallel translation mechanism of the movable edge member 5 isconfigured.

The first tension string 197 a has its one end fixed to the upper partof the movable edge member 5, extends through the net 4 so as to beguided to the inside of the vertical frame member 6, is turned by aturning piece 207 a so as to be guided down in the vertical frame member6, then, wound up on a turning piece 207 b located at the lower part ofthe vertical frame member 6 so as to be guided upwards in the verticalframe member 6, and connected to the guide piece 14 located at the frontof the side of the net guide 12, configured to be guided in and out theinside of the vertical frame member 6. The way of winding around of thefirst tension string 197 a is the same as that in the first tensionstring 19 a in the first embodiment.

Also, while the second and third tension strings 197 b and 197 c haverespective one ends fixed to the upper part of the vertical frame member8, are guided to the upper end of the movable edge member 5 and turnedat the upper end by a turning piece 207 c so as to be guided downwardsin the movable edge member 5, the second and third tension string 197 band 197 c are respectively turned at the central and lower parts of themovable edge member 5 by turning pieces 207 d and 207 e, extend throughthe net 4 so as to be guided to the inside of the vertical frame member6, and are fixed to the vertical frame member 6.

As long as the attitude of the movable edge member 5 can be maintainedor a parallel translation of the movable edge member 5 is stablyachieved, the tension strings configuring the parallel translationmechanism can be stretched in an arbitrarily winding around manner asdescribed above.

While a variety of use patterns of net guides of the horizontal-drawingscreen doors, each including the net 4 extendable in an accordion-likemanner, according to the embodiments, have been described above, thepresent invention is limited neither to the screen device including theforegoing net 4 extendable in an accordion-like manner nor to thehorizontal-drawing screen door, and targeted to horizontal-drawingscreen doors including a variety of sheet members formed such that eachmember extended in a sheet-like pattern can be stored in a unit byfolding, winding up, stacking, or the like.

For example, the present invention is applicable to a screen deviceshown in FIGS. 20 and 21 or another screen device shown in FIGS. 22 and23, including a screen 31 such as a flexible light-shielding screenwound around a winding shaft 30, or any one of a variety of sheets andfly nets.

In a ninth embodiment shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the winding shaft 30configured to take up the screen 31 with an urging force of a springdisposed in the shaft is rotatably accommodated in a movable edge member5M, the other end of the screen 31 is fixed to a vertical frame member6M, the movable edge member 5M is suspended from the upper horizontalframe member 10 with a roller 5 a disposed at its upper end, and ascreen guide 12M having one end fixed to the lower end of the movableedge member 5M is guided in and out the vertical frame member 6M fromits lower end. While the screen guide 12M can have substantially thesame structure as that shown in FIGS. 4 to 11, in the presentembodiment, a guide piece 14M has a small width as shown in the figure.

Also, in a tenth embodiment shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the winding shaft30 the same as that in the ninth embodiment is accommodated in avertical frame member 6N, the other end of the screen 31 is fixed to amovable edge member 5N, and the movable edge member 5N is likewisesuspended from the horizontal frame member 10 with the roller 5 a. Withthis, a screen guide 12N having its one end fixed to the lower end ofthe vertical frame member 6N is guided in and out the movable edgemember 5N from its lower end. A guide piece 14N is substantially thesame as the guide piece 14M in the ninth embodiment.

In the meantime, the screen device according to the present invention,especially those in the ninth and tenth embodiments, can be of not onlythe horizontal-drawing type described in the foregoing embodiments butalso a vertical-drawing type.

1. A screen device comprising: a pair of elongated frame members whichextend parallel to each other and are movable such that a space betweenthem is able to expand and shrink; a screen having ends attached to saidframe members and which is opened and closed when expanding andshrinking the space between said frame members; and an elongatedbendable screen guide which moves in or out of one of the frame membersin response to an open or close operation of said screen, wherein thescreen guide is able to bend by a right angle to extend along one of theends of the screen when the screen is stretched to an open state,wherein said screen guide includes a plurality of guide pieces alignedin a row such that contact surfaces of adjacent ones of said guidepieces contact each other, and a flexible wire member connects all ofthe guide pieces to each other, wherein said guide pieces are composedof a synthetic resin and each have a cross section formed in anapproximately U-shape whose bottom wall is aligned along one of the endsof the stretched screen, and a pair of standing walls respectivelyaligned along front and back surfaces of the stretched screen, wherein atop part of each of said standing walls has a passage hole penetratingalong the aligned direction of said guide pieces, and wherein said wiremember extends through said passage holes to serially connect said guidepieces with adjacent ones of the guide pieces such that the contactsurfaces of the adjacent guide pieces contact each other when the screenguide is guided along the end of the stretched screen.
 2. The screendevice according to claim 1, further comprising grooves in said standingwalls for allowing said wire members to be fitted in and detached fromsaid passage holes.
 3. The screen device according to claim 1, furthercomprising intermediate rotors interposed between the passage holes ofadjacent guide pieces, wherein said wire members pass through theintermediate rotors.
 4. The screen device according to any of claims1-3, further comprising a guide rail for guiding said screen guide alongthe end of the stretched screen, wherein at least some of the guidepieces include engagements slidably engaging with said guide rail.
 5. Ascreen device according to claim 1, wherein the screen is extendablyformed in an accordion-like shape having a plurality of pleats which arealternately folded back and forth.
 6. The screen device according toclaim 5, wherein the screen guide moves in or out of the inside of saidpair of frame members.
 7. The screen device according to claim 1,wherein said screen is formed in a flexible sheet-like form, and whereina winding axis for winding said sheet is aligned along the axialdirection of one of said frame members and inside the one of said framemembers.
 8. The screen device according to any of claims 5-7, whereinsaid pair of frame members is installed in a standing manner in avertical direction and is openable in a transverse direction.
 9. Thescreen device according to any of claims-5-7, wherein said pair of framemembers is installed in a standing manner in a vertical direction and isopenable in a transverse direction, and one of said screen guides isprovided at both of upper and lower ends of said extended screen. 10.The screen device according to claim 5, wherein said pair of framemembers is installed in a standing manner in a vertical direction and isopenable in a transverse direction, further comprising a paralleltranslation mechanism for keeping the parallel state of the framemembers when expanding and shrinking the space between said pair offrame members, wherein said parallel translation mechanism includes atension string having one end connected to said screen guide andextending between said pair of frame members.
 11. The screen deviceaccording to any of claims 5-7, wherein the screen is formed by aninsect-proof net.